A 65-year-old man has been jailed for eight and a half years for the rape and sexual abuse of his sister-in-law when she was a young teenager.

Bartholomew Prendergast, of Cruachan in Dungarvan, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault against Stephanie Hickey.

They happened at locations in Waterford and Tipperary in the 1980s.

He also pleaded guilty to the indecent assault of her older sister, Deirdre Fahy, and two counts of indecent assault against a third woman who does not wish to be identified.

The two sisters waived their right to anonymity so Bartholomew Prendergast could be named.

Speaking outside court, the sisters - who are now aged in their 40s and 50s - gave their reaction to the sentence.

Ms Fahy said: "I'm happy enough with the sentence - didn't know what to expect really going in there, but it's OK, it's good.

"He's not going to be walking away anytime soon so can't complain too much.

"Obviously we'd have preferred more, but it's not so bad".

Ms Hickey added: "I would have preferred if he got a harder sentence, but it's eight years and now his time starts - and ours will start to be much happier and start living again".

Ms Hickey also said the law needs to change to support victims.

"The laws have to change, they have to listen to victims now.

"Character references that are given, and supports that are given for people like him - this shouldn't happen.

"And if so, they should be named.

"I think it's very hard on victims to have to be told that people are writing character references, telling how good these men are in society - and that to me is just so degrading for a victim.

"We're the ones that carry it, we're the ones that bring it to the court doors and get it in the court doors and fight all the way.

"So I'm asking the minister, Leo Varadkar is you're listening, you need to meet with victims and you need to hear our side of the story and why the laws should change".